CAGE Interview: Discuss Upcoming Album Supremacy Of Steel

I had the chance to sit down with all five members of Cage on September 29, 2011 in St. Paul at Station 4 after they completed their soundcheck for that night's show. We primarily discussed their soon-to-be released sixth album, Supremacy Of Steel, that hits stores worldwide November 25, 2011. Most of our conversation made it through the final edits, except the band's thoughts on the importance of packaging of physical product in the age of digital music sales. Clips from Cage's performance that night were incorporated into the interview footage, and you can browse over to my YouTube channel to view the entire concert. If you like aggressive, full-throttled power metal and have never acquainted yourself with Cage, be sure to watch this interview.

Watch the interview with Cage.

In addition to live shots from the show (view here), I got some nice band pictures from a photoshoot—a couple of them are below. Also, don't forget about my review of the entire that was published in two parts: Cage in Part 1, and Dawn Of Valor, Minos, Eternal Voyager, Noble Beast, and Iron Finger in Part 2.

CAGE Concert Review - Part 2 of 2

Cage, Dawn Of Valor, Minos, Eternal Voyager, Noble Beast, Iron Finger

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Station 4, St. Paul, MN

Part 2 of 2

Click on the picture to see additional photos of Iron Finger (12).

Cage’s headlining performance was covered in Part 1 of this review, so now here’s the rundown of the rest of the bill. Those arriving at the venue early were rewarded with a crushing performance by the best support band of the night, Iron Finger. Hailing from Chicago and along for the duration of this quick Midwest run with Cage, Iron Finger blew down the doors with a thick dose of groove-laden heaviosity that demands attention. Their set began with a couple instrumentals before the bass player stepped up to sing for the last three songs. Iron Finger’s stripped down approach belies the fact that there are some serious molten riffs and thoughtful soloing from guitarists Gerry Buckzo, formerly of Nomad and Cage during their earliest days, and Paul Kratky, who also plays in cult legends Slauter Xstroyes. The band is planning on incorporating a new full-time vocalist in the near future, but I thought the bass player sang just fine. He sounds a bit like Scott “Wino” Weinrich (The Obsessed) without the drama. This is trendless, heavy rock that is all too rare and that would have widespread appeal. Someone sign this band now.

Watch Iron Finger perform “Ride On”.

Watch Iron Finger perform “Nightmare”.

Watch iron Finger perform “Saviour”.

Click on the picture to see additional photos of Noble Beast (14).

Next up was Noble Beast from St. Paul, who mix up Megadeth-style technical riffs with grand melodies popularized by European power metal bands. It’s an approach that works, but the vocals put me off at times. I actually really like it when the vocalist and guitarist Rob Jalonen screams much more than his singing, not enough for to write them off, though. He and guitarist Matt Hodsdon work in tandem quite well, and the technical talents of the band are admirable. Noble Beast is certainly worth keeping an eye on as they have a lot of potential.

Watch Noble Beast perform “Master Of Depravity”. An additional Noble Beast song can also be viewed on my YouTube channel.

Click on the picture to see additional photos of Eternal Voyager (17).

Eternal Voyager then took the stage to deliver an interesting set that showcased longer songs that venture into speed-style progressive territory. Although this was his final show with the band, Hollowstone keyboardist Don brought a great element to Eternal Voyager’s sound without trying to dominate his presence. Hopefully a suitable replacement for him will be found soon. Again, the vocals were a weak spot for the band, but it’s not too much of a distraction. Eternal Voyager is one their way to forging their own unique sound, so they’re another band to check out for upcoming shows.

Watch Eternal Voyager perform “Army Of Our Lord”. “Eternal Voyager” can also be viewed on my YouTube channel.

Click on the picture to see additional photos of Minos (15).

As with Noble Beast and Eternal Voyager, I’ve never been to a show early enough to catch Minos on their many support slots so I had no idea of what to expect. Hailing from Rochester, Minnesota, Minos delivers convincing folk metal that thankfully forgoes superfluous instrumentation and childish melodies that seem to plague many bands that play in this style. I’m not a fan of much folk metal, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed their set. The promoter of the show, The SwordLord, even got up on stage to join Minos for guest vocals as duet on “Lost River”. This is my no means my type of metal, but you have to admire what Minos is doing and they’re clearly at the top of their game.

Watch Minos perform “Lost River” with guest vocals from The SwordLord. “Skyfire” can also be viewed on my YouTube channel.

Click on the picture to see additional photos of Dawn Of Valor (23).

Dawn Of Valor was the final support band of the night, and this was the first opportunity I’ve had to see them since some major personnel changes took place earlier this year. Vocalist Jaden Adair is now fronting the band, and a new guitarist and drummer have also joined bassist Ted Jedlicki and guitarist John Leibel. The changes have done the band good, and all aspects of the band are now at a higher level. This was on display as Dawn Of Valor blitzed through all three songs from their latest EP, Immortal Flame, three more from their self-titled EP, as well as “The Metal Calling”. Jaden is an aggressive, in-your-face singer, and he brings new intensity to the band’s traditional-style power metal. These guys are probably the most active local band out promoting themselves everywhere, so the new lineup and EP should help raise Dawn Of Valor’s profile throughout the area metal scene.

Watch Dawn Of Valor perform “Valkyrie Sky”. The rest of the band’s set can be viewed on my YouTube channel.

Watch Dawn Of Valor perform “There Can Be Only One”. The rest of the band’s set can be viewed on my YouTube channel.

This was an impressive night of local talent, and band brought something different to the bill. Chicago’s Iron finger, however, stole the show with a professional-level performance and a killer sound. All of the bands are worth seeing, so be sure to give them your support at upcoming shows. Headliner Cage took the stage after Dawn Of Valor, so click here for the review of their show with plenty of pictures and complete video footage.

CAGE Concert Review - Part 1 of 2

Cage, Dawn Of Valor, Minos, Eternal Voyager, Noble Beast, Iron Finger

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Station 4, St. Paul, MN

Part 1 of 2

Click any picture to see additional photos of Cage (27).

Power metal survivors Cage have put forth a significant effort in touring the US in the last 5–6 years, so it’s been a treat to have them here in The Cities for the third time in recent years. This show was the first of three on a short run through the Midwest as the band is gearing up for the release of their sixth album, Supremacy Of Steel.

My review of the show will be in two parts—Cage here in Part 1, to be followed soon with the supporting bands in Part 2. I also conducted an exclusive video interview with all five members of Cage before the show, and this will also be posted in the near future.

  

Having seen Cage numerous times since the early Unveiled and Astrology eras, I can state with confidence that this was the best show I’ve seen to date, and this version of the band is the most polished and technically proficient. Steve Brogden has moved bass to guitar, while Psychotic Waltz drummer Norm Leggio’s bandmate from Teabag, Pete Stone, has joined Cage on bass (I’ll have to dig out some old pictures of Norm and Pete playing in Teabag!). Leading this new lineup are original vocalist Sean Peck and guitarist Dave “Conan” Garcia. Everyone was in top form, and Cage has definitely solidified a loyal base of fans here in the Twin Cities.

Watch Cage perform “Doctor Doom” from the upcoming Supremacy Of Steel album. Visit my YouTube channel to see videos of the complete show!

Cage is pushing the upcoming Supremacy Of Steel album hard, and they ripped into five new songs this night, many played live for the first time. Selections from their last three albums, Science Of Annihilation, Hell Destroyer, and Darker Than Black, rounded out this marathon 15-song, nearly 90 minute set. New song “Bloodsteel” opened the show with a blistering scream from Sean, then they immediately launched into crowd favorite “I Am The King”. Two more new songs, “The Beast Of Bray Road” and “Doctor Doom”, also received a great response from the audience. Cage then settled into a string of familiar tunes, including fire-spitting versions of “Planet Crusher” and “Hell Destroyer”. “War Of The Undead”, another new one that was debuted in Minneapolis last year, kept the band on fire and eventually led into the set closer, “Metal Empire”, the last new track of the night which can only be described as epic. Wasting little time before returning for an encore, Cage sounded rejuvenated as they ripped into the brilliant “King Diamond” and a pounding version of “Metal Devil”. The last surprise for the night was closing affairs down with a nearly 11 minute version of “Wings Of Destruction” from Darker Than Black.

Watch Cage perform “Bloodsteel” from the upcoming Supremacy Of Steel album. Visit my YouTube channel to see videos of the complete show!

Cage once again demonstrated that they continue to be taken seriously as one of the top power metal bands in the world. Their consistency over six albums is virtually unmatched and they are a force to behold live. Incredibly, Cage continues to get better and they’ve yet to reach their creative peak. Judging from the new songs played this night, Supremacy Of Steel will leave the metal world wondering how Cage does it. “Doctor Doom”, “Metal Empire”, and “The Beast Of Bray Road” were probably my favorites. Although Cage’s past US tours have not been extensive the band is making a serious effort to penetrate more markets, so do yourself a favor and get out to see them if they come to a town near you.

Head on over to my YouTube channel to watch videos of Cage’s entire performance, and check back soon for an exclusive video interview with the entire band and Part 2 of the concert review for pictures and videos of the supporting bands Iron Finger, Dawn Of Valor, Minos, Eternal Voyager, and Noble Beast.

CAGE Tonight in St. Paul; SKID ROW/DIO DISCIPLES Cancels Medina Show

Bad news first—Skid Row and Dio Disciples have cancelled their show scheduled for tomorrow, September 30 at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina. No reason was given for the cancelation, but the venue was nice enough to call ticketholders with the news yesterday. A post on the Skid Row website indicates that the show might be rescheduled.


Given that cancelation, there's no reason not to get out tonight for the return of Cage, a long-running traditional power metal band from San Diego. The amazing thing about Cage is that they continue to grow through their years of hard, underground DIY work ethic. Having known and seen the band live since 1999, I can attest that every show is brilliant. Tonight's show, at Station 4 in St. Paul, is Cage's third visit to the Twin Cities, and is the very first since completion of their soon-to-be-released new album, Supremacy Of Steel. This sort Midwest jaunt for Cage takes them to Moorhead, Minnesota tomorrow, then to Chicago for a festival show on Saturday. There's a great lineup of local support bands, including Dawn Of Valor, and it's only $8, so do the right thing and head to Station 4 tonight.

Cage performing new song "War Of The Undead" for the first time on June 23, 2010 at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis.

Cage performs tonight, Thursday, September 29 at Station 4 in St. Paul with support from Powerfinger, Dawn Of Valor, Minos, Eternal Voyager, and Noble Beast.

Cage, Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure Concert Review

Cage, Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis, MN

This was San Diego-based Cage’s second visit to the Twin Cities, and it was a great opportunity for me to catch up with old friends. There were some changes from the original bill, as first Avian and then Avalon dropped off. Regardless, I was pumped to finally see The Angle Obscure attempt their complex, technical, progressive hardcore/metal in a live setting. I’ve already raved about their debut self-released album (the review is here), and this night’s show cemented by opinion that The Angle Obscure is one of the most inventive and exciting new bands. An equipment failure prevented the band from playing with keyboards, but didn’t matter in the least. They played a good chunk of the songs off of their Silence Is Our Canvas album, and the jazzy, free-form parts lent themselves well to some improvisation that kept the songs fresh. Since people were lined up outside the door waiting to get in, most of the good-sized crowd was already here to witness this great band. Their new material is highly anticipated.

 Click picture for more photos of The Angle Obscure (18).

 

Click to watch The Angle Obscure play “Random Deforestation”.

 

Click to watch The Angle Obscure play “Point Of Transition”.

Traditional power metal band Dawn Of Valor was up next, and they really fired up the crowd with their intense style and presence. Vocalist Sean Iredale is a huge, imposing figure on stage, but he lightens up between songs with funny stage banter. The entire band has the intensity of machine gun fire that kept the audience on edge. Dawn Of Valor played all four songs from their self-released EP, as well as some new ones. Musically, they don’t stray far from Iron Maiden-style metal, but it’s hard not to get caught up with the fun that the band seems to have playing together.

 Click picture for more photos of Dawn Of Valor (19).

 

Click to watch Dawn Of Valor play “Devil Within”.

 

Click to watch Dawn Of Valor play “Duel Wield”.

Cage drew two to three times the crowd they did last time they played at Station 4, and they proceeded to level the Triple Rock with the best show I have seen them perform to date. Although this was one of the first shows with their new guitarist and bassist, Cage was tighter than ever. Vocalist Sean Peck isn’t joking when he refers to drummer Norm Leggio (ex-Psychotic Waltz) as “The Legend”. I’ve seen Norm drum many times with his former band Teabag, but never has he played with such intensity. The set relied heavily upon Cage’s most recent album, Science Of Annihilation. After opening with “Planet Crusher”, they ripped their way through “Black River Falls” (inspired by their last trip through the Midwest), “Speed Kills”, “Scarlet Witch”, and “Stranger In Black”. The first two albums were ignored as Cage focused on their recent heavier material from Hell Destroyer and Darker Than Black. We were treated with a couple surprises throughout the night, including the excellent “King Diamond”, the European bonus track to Hell Destroyer, and “War Of The Undead”, a vicious new track played here for the first time ever. Sean Peck pulled off every scream with terrifying precision, and guitarist Dave Garcia let solos fly off his guitar neck all night. The recent personnel changes within Cage would certainly cause doubts to arise about their sound, but the new guys were great on stage and the entire band sounded rejuvenated and ready to take on all comers. Cage has been an underground, DIY phenomenon since day one, but tonight’s show proved once again that they deserve to be ranked among the power metal elite. The band doesn’t tour the US as much as Europe, so get to one of their shows when you have the chance.

 Click picture for more photos of Cage (25).

 

Click to watch Cage play “Planet Crusher”.

 

Click to watch Cage play “War Of The Undead”.

 

Click to watch Cage play “King Diamond”.

 

Click to watch Cage play “Stranger In Black”.

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Cage Tonight!!

I'm back from a bit of a hiatus, so there's lots of updates and reviews to come! I was out of town on two back-to-back trips, one a short vacation and the other for work. Work never stops for me, so it's always very stressful when leaving town and dealing with a mountain of things to do when I return.

If you can make it, be sure to check out San Diego's Cage tonight at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. If you're a Judas Priest and Iron Maiden fan and love power metal, there's no finer American band than Cage. Vocalist Sean Peck is an amazing singer, and the back is always extremely tight. Having lived in San Diego, I've seen Cage many times in the past and they never disappoint. They've only been to St. Paul once before, and they're on a short run through the Midwest en route to a festival headlining appearance in Ohio. Don't miss your chance to catch this incredible band.

In case you're unaware, Cage rose to international acclaim in 1999 when they were selected by fans amongst hundreds of entrants for a slot at the Wacken Open Air Festival. They've toured Europe many times yet they don't have the opportunity to tour America that frequently. One of the most admirable things about Cage is that they've accomplished their success on their own terms, without the backing of a larger label. Vocalist Sean Peck also made national headlines in 1999 when he heckled embattled San Diego Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf at practice by singing the old Little River Band tune "Lonesome Loser". This led to some verbal back and forth between the two, and seemed to hasten Leaf's demise. Check out one account of the notorious encounter from CBS Sports.

Underground metal fans should also be interested in tonight's show because Cage now features drummer Norm Leggio from legendary power/progressive metal band Psychotic Waltz.

I'll have a full account of tonight's show posted soon, as well as some old Cage pictures circa 1999–2001. Be sure to get there early for locals Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure, and Avalon. The Angle Obscure has an amazing self-released album out that I reviewed here. If you bring your ticket stub from the recent Sonata Arctica or Primal Fear shows, admission is free!

Cage performs tonight at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. Support bands are Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure, and Avalon.

SwordLord Announcements And Promotions

Some changes to SwordLord-promoted shows have recently been made, along with some ticket promotions.
First, the complete support bill for Primal Fear on Sunday, May 30 at Station 4 in St. Paul has been finalized in light of Luna Mortis's cancellation due to breaking up. Support acts are now Avian, Havok, and Dawn Of Valor.
Next, Avian has announced that they have been forced to drop off the bill with Cage on Wednesday, June 23 at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. Thanks to individual that posted a comment below that brought this to my attention! Replacing Avian is Dawn Of Valor, The Angle Obscure, and Avalon. Bring your ticket stub from the April 12 Sonata Arctica or May 30 Primal Fear show and admission is free! Otherwise, tickets for Cage are $8 in advance or at the door.
Lastly, head on over to SwordLord's Twitter page to get discounts on upcoming shows. Print out the appropriate tweet to get $5 off admission to Overkill/Vader/God Dethroned/Warbringer/Evile/Woe Of Tyrants on Sunday, April 11 at Station 4 in St. Paul, $3 off Sonata Arctica/Mutiny Within/Powerglove on Monday, April 12 at Station 4 in St. Paul, and $3 off Finntroll/Moonsorrow/Swallow The Sun/Survivors Zero on Saturday, April 17 at Station 4 in St. Paul.